Quality assurance system

The fundamental approach to ensuring quality at the University of Ljubljana (UL) is what is called the PDCA cycle, i.e. plan-do-check-act, which constitutes a four-step method of management that covers planning, implementing the planned measures, watching over and checking the appropriateness of implementation, and taking action on the basis of experience obtained from implementation. 

UL systems of quality are therefore based on a closed feedback loop, with clear processes of identifying objectives and priorities, planning measures and operation, implementing planned activities, and monitoring and evaluating activities and measures implemented, including an assessment of the effects, which serves as input information for a new cycle of planning.

The operation of the quality system and its basic processes and principles are determined by the Quality System Rules of the UL.

The quality system covers strategic and implementing dimensions, and functions on different levels (Rectorate, UL member faculties, organisational units, study programmes etc.) and with the cooperation of relevant stakeholders, especially of employees, students, management and the external environment (which includes employers, those ordering services, graduates, political decision-makers and research institutions).

Through its system of quality UL continuously monitors:

• the attained level of quality in various areas of operation, based on established indicators,
• periodically reports on the situation in various areas of operation and on the fulfilment of set goals, and also evaluates this,
• takes steps aimed at improving the system of quality and at better attainment of set goals, based on periodic quality reports, and
• develops the culture of quality.

The UL quality system is oriented towards meeting the ESG criteria (i. e. Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area) and towards ensuring targets set out in the fundamental UL documents and documents in the area of higher education.